J.M. Jones (1855)

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: J.M. Jones
• Type: Lumber schooner
• Year Built: 1855
• Builder: James Madison Jones, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Dimensions: Length: 92.17 ft (28.09 m); Beam: 23.58 ft (7.19 m); Depth of hold: 8.08 ft (2.46 m)
• Registered Tonnage: Estimated ~100–120 gross tons based on dimensions
• Location: Off Manitowoc, WI
• Coordinates: 44° 04.841' N / 87° 33.835' W
• Original Owners: A. Larsen (at time of loss)
• Number of Masts: Two

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

The J.M. Jones was a wooden, two-masted Great Lakes schooner designed for the lumber and wood trade, common to the mid-19th century.

Description

The vessel was built by James Madison Jones, a prominent Milwaukee shipbuilder, whose vessels frequently served in the regional timber trade. The J.M. Jones had a shallow draft relative to length, suitable for small harbors and river mouths.

• Insurance & Valuation:
  • 1860 – Valued $3,800, rated B2
  • 1861 – Valued $2,000, rated B2

The decline in valuation indicates prior incidents and probable wear.

History

The J.M. Jones had an active but troubled six-year career, punctuated by repeated accidents:

• Dec 1856 – Struck a pier and sank at Racine; later refloated and repaired.
• Dec 1858 – Lost her master overboard on Lake Michigan (identity requires archival verification).
• Sept 1859 – Capsized with a load of wood at Port Washington; successfully recovered.
• Sept 1860 – Collision with schooner Nightingale on the St. Clair River; survived.

The vessel’s accident record reflects the hazards of the lumber trade, where overloading and heavy weather frequently led to partial losses and repeated salvage efforts.

Significant Incidents

On September 3, 1861, the J.M. Jones was northbound on Lake Michigan carrying a cargo of wood to Chicago when it collided with the schooner Condor.

• The Condor struck the Jones, nearly cutting her in two.
• J.M. Jones was stove in and waterlogged, sinking almost immediately.
• Crew Escape:
  • All hands were saved, rescued by the Condor.
• Damage to Condor:
  • Lost bowsprit, mainmast, sails, and rigging
  • Drifted helpless for 24 hours before rescue by the propeller Backus, which towed her to Milwaukee.

“The schooner J.M. Jones, loaded with wood and bound for Chicago, was stove and waterlogged after being nearly cut in two as the result of a collision with the schooner Condor. The Jones sunk immediately. The crew were all saved, picked up by the Condor… which afterward drifted 24 hours before being towed to Milwaukee.”
— Milwaukee Sentinel, September 4, 1861

Final Disposition

The J.M. Jones sank almost immediately after the collision, with no significant wreckage remaining accessible for divers. The wreck is likely heavily broken and buried due to shallow nearshore exposure and over 160 years of lake action.

Current Condition & Accessibility

There is no active dive site designation in the Wisconsin Shipwreck Registry. Archaeological potential is limited, with scattered timbers or fasteners possibly remaining, but significant structural features are unlikely.

Resources & Links

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The J.M. Jones is a classic example of a mid-19th-century Great Lakes lumber schooner, operating in an era of frequent collisions and repeated salvage. Its short, accident-prone career and ultimate loss by collision are consistent with the risks of the booming wood trade on Lake Michigan. While no significant wreckage is dive-accessible, the vessel’s documented history contributes to our understanding of regional lumber transport and maritime hazards of the 1850s–1860s.